St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-01-26
DIV zero. *Lower. Higher.
Looks LIKE WAR

We catch a sniff Of war in the air. The
passage by the senate Of the fisheries bill,
which authorizes the president to resort to
retaliatOry measures, is movement which
bears a warlike wrinkle on its front. The
heated discussion in the senate over the bill,
the sharp language used by senators when
referring to Great Britain, together with
the unanimity of opinion that the bill
was necessary, all indicate that the Amer
lean congress is in no mood to be trif1ed
with. The only senator who voted
against the bill based his objection
to it on the ground that the measure
was not bellicose enough in tone. 1t was
announced on the floor of the senate that
the administration was in thorough accord
with the measure. So that, taking every
thing into consideration, the attitude of
this government toward Britain is similar
to that of the Irishman at Donnybrook,
who was wont to place chip on his Shout
der and then politely ask some gentleman
to knock it off in order that he might have
cause for raising a ruction. The United
States government has stood all the insults
that it intends to take, and proposes to as
sumo the aggressive itself for awhile.
The people will back congress in this
movement. There has already been good
deal of discomfort manifested that congress
should have been so tardy in disposing of
this question. Now that it has gotten
around to it and exhibits so much pluck the
people will be ready to atone for past tardi-
ness on the part of congress. There are
two reasons why the American people are
disposed to encourage belligerent attitude
by our government. In the first place they
believe that the fragrant violations by the
Canadians of the treaty relations between
this country and Canada is casus belli and
that war would be justihable. In the second
place there is a sort of a feeling in
the public mind that a little brush
with some foreign power would be ma
tional blessing just at this time. There
was hope short time ago that Mexico
would give provOcation for scrap. but the
prOmptneSS with which the Mexican gov
eminent retreated from its position dashed
that hope to the ground. Now the only
visible chance for war is with the British
government over the fisheries trouble, and
there is probably no other nation on the
face of the earth with whom we would
rather have a spat. As Mr.. INGALLS, says,
we are not so old nation yet
that we have forgotten the struggle
for American independence or the
war Of 1872. Our former successes
naturally encourage us in the belief that
we are just as capable of laying England
out to-day as we were in other days. We
are good deal bigger nation now than
then. 1t is true that we haven't much Of a
navy and couldn't hope to cut much of a
figure on the high seas. But we have sixty
millions of people who are as good dry-land
fighters as the sun ever shone on. and while
we may not be overly disposed TO go out on
the broad waters to test the strength of
Britain'S naval power, still we might take
it into our heads some fine morning
TO step over the border and take pos
session of her fine Canadian possessions.
And we have sort Of an idea that Canada
wouldn't kick much if we did. The
trouble between ourselves and Canada is
not inspired by the Canadian people 1t is
the work OF the automatic machine called
a government which the British govern
ment imposes upon the people of Canada.
Great Britain has an Interior purpose in
view in stirring up this muss. We do not
know exactly what it is. nor do we care.
All that we do know is that if England
wants good sound threshing, and will be
so accommodating as to knock the chin
from our shoulder, she will get it.